Rescue appliance for submarines



Feb. l1, 1930. J.,L. McKAY 1,745,547

RESCUE APPLIANCE FOR SUBMARINES Filed Feb. 11, 1928 2 sheets-sneer 1 Feb. 11, 1930. A J. l.. MCKAY RESCUE APPLIANCE FOR SUBMARINES Filed Feb. l1. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN" L. MCKAY, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA RESCUE APPLIANCE FOR SUBMARINS Application lved February 11, 1928. Serial No. 253,668.

My present invention relates to a rescue cipally in section showing the cage within appliance for submarines fand has for its the air supply hose;

primary object to provide a submarine with Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the hose;

a fresh air supply hose to which is attached and y a buoy or other lifting device arranged to be Fig. 7 is a view of the cage in'utransverse 55 released by a control from within the sublsection with the door thereof indicated in an lmarine, in case of an accident in which the open position by means of broken lines.

submarine is sunk or cannot rise'when ma- The numeral 10 indicates as an entirety a neuvering under water, to carry the connectsubmarine resting on the bed of a body of 1 ed end of the hose to the surface of the water. water w with the exception of its deck 11 and en This lifting device, after carrying the conone of its bottom plates 12. Extending from nectcd end of the hose to the surface of the the bottom plate 12 to the deck 11 is a closed water, floats thereon and acts as a signal housing 13 having a lower or water-tight from the submarine so that searchers may compartment 14, an intermediate or hose com- 15 easily locate the same. partment 15 and an upper or buoy compart- 65 The appliance also includes the necessary ment 16. Said water-tight compartment 14 apparatus for drawing a supply of fresh air is provided with a manhole 17 normally through the hose to the submarine. To furclosed byA a. heavy screw-operated cover ther assist the searchers in locating the subplate 18.

20 marine, the lifting device is provided with Below the manhole 17 is a water-tight win- 70 a signal, either audible or visual, or` both, dow 19 closed by a heavy piece of glass together with an antenna for use in broadthrough which the interior of the compartcasting `or in receiving messages. The ap-` ment 14 maybe viewed. An air suction pump pliance further includes a cage operable from 20, the intake of which leads from the comeither end of the hose for carrying mespartment 14 is arranged to discharge into the I5 Sages, food or drink. submarine compartment in which the hous- To the above end, generally stated, the ing 13 is located. It is, of course, understood invention consists of the novel devices and that this suction pump 20 may be connected combinations of devices hereinafter described to fresh air distributing pipes, not shown,

md defined in the Claims, leading to any part or parts of the submarine. 80

In the accompanying drawings, which il- A Water pump 21, the intake of which leads lustrate the invention, like characters indifrom the compartment 14 is arranged to discate like parts throughout the several views. charge through the bottom plate 12.

Referring to the drawings: A buoy 22 is held within the compartment Fig. 1 is a view showing a submarine in 16 and rests on a seat 23 in the bottom of said 85 diagram resting on the bed of a body of water compartment and which seat comprises a pluand with the rescue appliance released; rality` of narrow circumferentially spaced Fig. 2 is a view in transverse vertical sec- Webs. lThe diameter of the buoy 22 is such tion of the appliance and a' portion of the subas to permit a free passage of the water thereao marine, certain parts of said appliance being around, through the seat 23 and into the hose indicated in different positions by means of compartment 15 for floating the buoy 22, as broken lines; v will hereinafter appear. The compartment Fig. 3 is a view principally in central ver- 16 has an open upper end in registration tical section showing the upper end portion `with a hatchway 24 in the deck 11,' normally of the fresh air supply pipe before the cap is closed by a sliding gate 25 which forms a 95 removed; v f water-tight joint with said deck to prevent Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper end water from entering the compartments 15 portion ofthe air supply pipe with the cap and 16. This gate 25, as shown, is operated removed; by a screw 26 arranged to be propelled by Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view prinan electric motor 27. 100

Coiled within the compartment is a hose- 28, the lower end of which extends through the bottom of said compartment and into the air-ti ht compartment 14. The upper end of the iose 28 is attached to the lower end of a fresh air supply pipe 29 which forms a continuation'of said hose and extends axially through the buoy 22 and above the top thereof. This hose 28 will be so constructed as to withstand a predetermined `water pressure and not collapse under the action thereof. Leading from the bottom of the compartment 15 is a valve-equipped drain 30.

The upper end of the air pipe 29 is normally closed by a cap 31 and below this cap said ipe is provided with a plurality of circum erentially extended slots or air intake passages 32. A long displaceable cap is telescoped over the u per end of the air pipe 29, has screw-threa ed engagement therewith and encloses the air passages 32. 'Secured to and projecting above the buoy 22 1s a tripod 34 on which is supported an antenna 35 and above said antenna a flashlight 36.

In case of accident to the submarine, when maneuvering under water, that would prevent the same from rising or'in case of accident in which the submarine is sunk, the crew may start the motor 27 and operate the gate 25 to open the hatchway 24 and flood the compartments 15 and 16. This flooding of the compartments 15 and 16 will produce sufficient pressure on the bottom of the buo 22 which is only covered by the seat 23 to li t said buoy from its compartment 16, through the hatchway 24 and into the body of water a: where the same will rise to the surface thereof and float, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1 and broken lines in Fig. 2. During the lifting of the buoy 22 it carries with it the connected end of the hose 28 which is uricoiled from its compartment 15 and drawn upward through the seat 23, compartment 16 and hatchway 24.

The wire cables 37 for the antenna 35 an flash light 36 are embedded in the walls of the hose 28 and extended to the necessary operating apparatus within the submarine. Obviously, the antenna permits the crew to send messages or receive the same and the floating buoy 22 and flash light 36 or other signal which may be substituted therefor act as a signal from the submarine to assist the searchers in readily locating the same.

The searchers, upon loc-ating the buoy, will immediately remove the cap 33 so that the air pump 20 may be started to furnish a supply of fresh air to the crew. In case of any leakage into the compartment 14, which may be determined by looking through the window 19, the pump 21. may be operated to remove the water from said compartment. In place of the cap 33 other means may be used for closing the air passages 32 while the hose 28 is being llfted t0 the surface of the water and r9- moved by means under the control of the crew in the submarine so that they do not have to wait until the rescue party arrive before securing a fresh supply of air.

To rmit messages to be carired back and forth etween the rescue party and the crew in the submarine, as well as conveying food and drink to said crew, there is provided a cage 38 of cylindrical form and of such diameter that it may be readily drawn through the hose 28 without cutting off the entire air passage therethrough. This cage 38 is provided with reversely extended flexible connections 39 and 40, the former of which extends throu h the hose 28, is attached to the cap 31 am? holds the cage 38 suspended within the compartment 14 just below the discharge end of the hose 30. The connection 40 is normally wound on a windlass drum within the compartment 14 and indicated as an entirety by the numeral 41. Any suitable means ma be provided for operating this windlass rum 41 "outside of said compartment. The rescue party, by removing the cap 31 may draw the connection 39 upward through the hose 28 and thereby lift the cage 38 to the surface of the water. During this lifting of the cage 38, the connection 40 is unwound from the windlass drum 41. The crew may return the cage 38 to the compartment 14 by operating the windlass drum 41 t wind the connection 40 thereon.

The cage 38 is provided with a hinged door 42 normally held closed by a collar 43 on the cage 38 held in an operative position by a bayonet joint 44. Within the cage 38 is a removable cover-equipped box or carton 45 for holding, for instance, written messages.

What I claim is:

1. In a submarine, the combination with an air supply hose, one end of which is secured to t e submarine, of a buoy on the submarine attached to the other end of said hose and arranged to be released into the water for lifting the attached end of the hose to the surface thereof, a cage in the hose, and connections for driving the cage through the hose from either end thereof.

2. The combination with va submarine having a buoy compartment, a hatchway leading to said compartment, a gate normally closing the hatchway with a water-tight joint, a hose compartment into which the buoy compartment opens, of a buoy in the buoy compartment, and an air supply hose in the hose compartment and having one of its ends anchored in respect to its compartment, the other end of the hose being attached to the buoy, said gate when opened being arranged to cause the flooding of said two compartments to lift the buoy from its compartment through the hatchway and release the same to carry the connected end of the hose to the sur- .face of the Water, a water-tight compartment into which the lower end of the hose is arranged to discharge, a cage in said watertight compartment and having reversely eX- tended connections, one of which extends through the hose to the buoy by which the s cage may be lifted in the hose, and the other of said connections affording means whereby the cage may be returned to said water-tight compartment, and a normally closed manhole leading to said water-tight compartment.

3. In a submarine, the combination with an air supply hose, one end of which is secured to the submarine, of a buoy on the submarine attached to the other end of said hose and arranged to be released into the water for lifting the attached end of the hose to the surface thereof, a cage normally at the inner end of the hose and positioned to be drawn therethrough, and a pair of reversely extended 2() cables attached to the buoy, one of said cables being extended through the hose whereby the cage may be lifted therein to the buoy, the other of said cables being arranged to be laid in the hose by the cage during its lifting movement therein whereby the same may be used to return the cage.

4. In a submarine the combination with a hose one end of which is secured to the submarine, of a buoy on the submarine attached to the other end of the hose and arran ed to be released into the water for lifting t e attached end of the hose to the surface thereof, lnd a cage attached to be moved through the ose.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

JOHN L. MCKAY. 

